The next is the transcript of the interview with West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Nov. 9, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to the Republican Governor of West Virginia Patrick Morrisey, who joins us from Charleston. Good morning to you, sir.
GOVERNOR PATRICK MORRISEY: Hey, good morning, Margaret. Good to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So your state has one of many highest poverty charges within the nation. Practically 16% of residents depend on meals stamps, that SNAP program we have been speaking about. In actual fact, the very first meals stamp pilot program started in West Virginia again within the Sixties. Given the present shutdown and the way rural your state is, I’m wondering can you get assist to those that want it proper now?
GOV. MORRISEY: Completely, look nice query. I do wish to begin out, to begin with, thanks for having me on this system. One piece of data popping out of West Virginia. We have had a mining accident, and now we have groups down in search of a lacking miner. I simply wish to say that our hearts and prayers exit to the household of that miner. We’re doing the whole lot we are able to to find that individual. Now, relating to the federal government shutdown, we’re doing the whole lot we are able to to assist these in want. On the very starting, I began standing up for the federal staff, and we introduced that, to deal with a few of the issues with meals, we have been going to ship vital {dollars} to the meals banks. By tomorrow, that’ll be as much as $13 million. I’ve activated the Nationwide Guard and we’re doing issues to make it possible for nobody in West Virginia goes hungry. Our individuals are hurting proper now, and I am doing the whole lot I can to resolve the issues whereas Washington bickers. However I do wish to be clear, this shutdown may come to an finish straight away. It is as much as Chuck Schumer or simply having six extra Democrats step throughout the road. There’s been a clear CR on the desk out there for a while. Individuals ought to make the most of that, and let’s get the federal government reopened after which we are able to go in regards to the enterprise of fixing the numerous different issues going through our nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah. I am sorry to listen to in regards to the mining accident. However on the difficulty of meals stamps, Governor Moore of Maryland mentioned that he had been informed the state could be punished, basically, for fronting the cash. Is that the message the federal authorities additionally gave to you. West Virginia will not get these {dollars} again?
GOV. MORRISEY: No, effectively, to begin with, I wish to emphasize the Trump administration has been an awesome companion to work with all through the previous yr by way of the financial progress that we’re making right here in West Virginia.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Positive.
GOV. MORRISEY: But in addition we have reached out, I used to be the primary individual to achieve out to the federal authorities, so we had our nationwide parks reopened.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
GOV. MORRISEY: And now we’re working by activating the guard and placing sources on the meals banks. We’re really making a distinction to maintain individuals from getting hungry. So we have been in very shut contact with the Trump administration, they usually’ve been very cooperative. Look, I feel they know, and everybody’s annoyed, that you simply’re six votes brief. These Democrats are saying no to reopening the federal government. It is a Schumer shutdown. I feel President Trump is bending over backwards —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Effectively. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — To be useful, and I am excited in regards to the issues he is doing by way of how he is dealing with this —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Effectively. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — And the broader financial points at giant.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, there’s the battle within the courts, particularly, about offering full meals help. The Trump administration initiated that. I wish to play one thing for you as a result of 70% of West Virginians voted for President Trump within the final election. However here is how he described the meals stamp program.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Largely, while you discuss SNAP, you are speaking about largely Democrats. However I am President, I wish to assist everyone. I wish to assist Democrats and Republicans. However while you speaking about SNAP, in the event you look, it is largely Democrats. They’re hurting their very own individuals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Have you ever made the White Home conscious of the ache from the meals SNAP, the meals program disruption, particularly?
GOV. MORRISEY: Yeah, so we have been working carefully with the White Home, and I feel they know they have been very supportive of a whole lot of the efforts that we’re taking to make it possible for individuals do not get hungry. That is the last word objective. We’ve got to verify we’re defending our individuals. Margaret, you are proper. We’ve got 270,000 plus individuals on SNAP, however as soon as once more, there’s one purpose why —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yeah. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — why they are not getting the sources. It is as a result of individuals are insisting so as to add all these new items on prime of only a invoice to maintain the federal government open. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Effectively —
GOV. MORRISEY: — That is the priority now we have. However we have been getting actually good response from the Trump administration throughout the board. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Okay. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — Whether or not we’re speaking in regards to the meals points, whether or not we’re speaking about our vitality jobs and even only recently, the conversations we’re having about President Trump’s Rural Well being Transformation invoice to place sources up entrance to save lots of public expenditures on the again finish. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — I wish to ask you about that. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — That is the sort of good working relationship we have had.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to ask you about that as a result of I do know West Virginia has one of many highest charges within the nation for presidency insurance coverage. There’s concern about rural hospitals. There may be this Rural Well being Transformation Program Congress arrange. Your state may get $100 million a yr for 5 years, however your West Virginia Hospital Affiliation says that your hospitals are going to lose greater than a billion {dollars} per yr due to this newest Huge Stunning Invoice Republicans handed. How do you make up that sort of shortfall?
GOV. MORRISEY: Effectively, I feel what President Trump and RFK and Dr. Oz are attempting to do is frequent sense. When you subscribe to the adage a ounce of prevention is price a pound of remedy, what they’re attempting to do is make investments the only largest amount of cash in enhancing rural well being. And in West Virginia meaning the whole lot as a result of we’re a really rural state. So the sources can go to put money into our individuals, to put money into our hospitals, our suppliers and the know-how that really can transfer the needle by way of enhancing well being care outcomes —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yeah. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — up entrance. Attacking weight problems and COPD and substance use dysfunction. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Okay. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — So we’re actually enthusiastic about that, as a result of if we apply the sources the suitable approach —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yeah. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — I do not suppose we’ll have the diminution of public expenditures on the again finish.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay.
GOV. MORRISEY: That is the frequent sense strategy we’re seeing from the Trump administration —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Okay. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — that we’re not seeing from Schumer —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Alright. —
GOV. MORRISEY: — and Democrats in Congress.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Governor, now we have to go away it there. We’re out of time. Thanks. We’ll be proper again.
